me,

14 Will I eat the flesh of poor among men shall rejoice bulls, or drink the blood of in the Holy One of Israel. goats ?

26 For the terrible one is 15 Offer unto God thanks- brought to nought, and the giving; and pay thy vows unto scorner is consumed; and all the most High:

that watch for iniquity are cut 16 And call upon me in the off : day of trouble : I will deliver 27 That make man an offend, thee, and thou shalt glorify er for a word, and lay a si

for him that reproveth in the 17 But unto the wicked God gate, and turn aside the just for saith, What hast thou to do to a thing of nought : declare my statutes, or that thou 28 That say, Stand by thyshouldest take my covenant in self, come not near me, for I am thy mouth?

holier than thou. These are a 18 Seeing thou hatest in- smoke in my nostrils, and fire struction, and castest my words all the day long, behind thee.

29 Ye turn judgement to : 19 When thou sawest a wormwood, and leave off righte. thief, then thou consentedst ousness in the earth. with him, and hast been par- 30 Ye hate him that speaks taker with adulterers.

eth in the gate, and ye abhor 20 Thou givest thy mouth him that speaketh uprightly. to evil, and thy tongue frameth 31 Ye have ploughed wickdeceit.

edness, ye have reaped iniquity; ; 21 Thou sittest, and speak- ye have eaten the fruit of lies : est against thy brother; thou because thou didst trust in thy slanderest thine own mother's way, in the multitude of thy

mighty men. 22 Thine

eyes

and thine heart 32 The vile person shall be are not but for thy covetousness, no more called liberal, nor the and for to shed innocent blood, churl said to be bountiful, and for oppression, and for vio- 33 For the vile person will lence to do it.

speak villany, and his heart 23 These things hast thou will work iniquity, to practise done, and I kept silence; thou hypocrisy, and to utter error thoughtest that I was altogether against the Lord, to make empty such a one as thyself: but I will the soul of the hungry, and he reprove thee, and set them in will cause the drink of the order before thine eyes.

thirsty to fail. 24 Now consider this, ye 34 The instruments also of that forget God, lest I tear you the churl are evil: he deviseth in pieces, and there be none to wicked devices to destroy the deliver.

poor with lying words, even 925 The meek shall increase when the needy speaketh right. their joy in the Lord, and the 35 Forasmuch therefore as

son.

your treading is upon the poor, have forsaken the Lord he hath and ye take from him bur- also forsaken you. thens of wheat; ye have built 37 Are there not with you, houses of hewn stone, but ye even with you, sins against the shall not dwell in them; ye Lord

your

God? have planted pleasant vine- 38 For I know your manifold yards, but ye shall not drink transgressions and your mighty wine of them.

sins; ye afflict the just, ye take 36 Why transgress ye the à bribe, and ye turn aside the commandments of the Lord that poor from their right, ye cannot prosper ? because ye

SECTION III.-Holy Resolutions.

LESSON XLV.

did not one fashion us in the

womb ? O LORD God of hosts, hear my 10 If I have withheld the poor prayer; give ear, O God of Ja- from their desire, or have caused çob!

the eyes of the widow to fail ; 2 Doth notGod see my ways, 11 Or have eaten my morsel and count all my steps ? myself alone, and the fatherless

3 If I have walked with vani- hath not eaten thereof; ty, or if my foot hath hasted to 12 If I have seen any perish deceit;

for want of clothing, or any 4 Let me be weighed in an poor without covering; even balance, that God may 13 If his loins have not blessed know mine integrity.

me, and if he were not warmed 5 If my step hath turned out with the fleece of my sheep; of the way, and mine heart 14 If I have lifted up my hand walked after mine eyes, and if against the fatherless, when I any blot hath cleaved to my saw my help in the gate ; hands :

15 Then let mine arm fall 6 Then let me sow, and let from my shoulder-blade, and another eat, yea, let my off- mine arm be broken from the spring be rooted out.

bone. 7 If I did despise the cause 16 For destruction from God. of my man-servant, or of my was a terror to me: and by maid-servant, when they con- reason of his highness I could tended with me;

not endure. 8 What then shall I do when 17 If I have made gold my God riseth up? and when he hope, or have said to the fine visiteth, what shall I answer gold, Thou art my confidence : him ?

18 If I rejoiced because my 9 Did not he that made me wealth was great, and because in the womb, make him ? and mine hand had gotten much:

him :

V

to me

me.

19 If I rejoiced at the destruc- is in me, and the spirit of God tion of him that hated me, or is in my nostrils ; lifted up myself when evil found 7.33 My lips shall not speak:

wickedness, nor my tongue utter 20 If I covered my transgres- deceit; till I die, I will not resions, as Adam, by hiding mine move my integrity from me. iniquity in my bosom:

34 My righteousness I hold 21 Did I fear a great multi- fast, and will not let it go : my tude, or did the contempt of heart shall not reproach me so families terrify me; that I kept long as I live. silence, and went not out of the 35. My defence is of God, door?

which saveth the upright in 22 Did not I weep for him heart. that was in trouble ? was not 36. God judgeth the righte. my soul grieved for the poor? ous, and God is angry with the

23 When the ear heard me, wicked every day. then it blessed me; and when 37 The Lord rewarded me the eye saw me, it gave witness according to my righteousness:

according to the cleanness of 24 Because I delivered the my hands hath he recompensed poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to 38 For I have kept the ways help him.

of the Lord, and have not wick25 The blessing of him that edly departed from my God. was ready to perish came upon 39 For all his judgements me: and I caused the widow's were before me: and as for his heart to sing for joy.

statutes I did not depart from 26 The stranger did not them. lodge in the street: but I open- 40 I was also upright before ed my doors to the traveller. him, and have kept myself from

27 I put on righteousness, mine iniquity. and it clothed me: my judge- 41 Therefore the Lord hath ment was as a robe 'and a dia- recompensed me according to dem.

my righteousness, according to 28 I was eyes to the blind, my cleanness in his eye sight. } and feet was I to the lame. | 42 Lord, my heart is not:

29 I was a father to the poor: haughty, nor mine eyes lofty : and the cause which I knew neither do I exercise myself in not, I searched out.

great matters, or in things too 30 Unto me men gave ear, high for me. and waited and kept silence at 43 Surely I have behaved

and quieted myself as a child 31 And I brake the jaws of the that is weaned of his mother: wicked, and plucked the spoil my soul is even as a weaned out of his teeth.

child. T 32 All the while my breath 44 Remember now, O Lord,

my counsel.

I beseech thee, how I have 13 I have preached rightewalked before thee in truth, and ousness in the great congregawith a perfect heart, and have tion: lo, I have not refrained done that which is good in thy my lips; O Lord, thou know.sight.

est.

14 Let integrity and uprightLESSON XLVI. ness preserve me; for I wait on

thee. JUDGE me, O Lord; for I hav 15 I said, I will take heed to walked in mine integrity: I my ways, that I sin not with have trusted also in the Lord; my tongue: I will keep my therefore I shall not slide. mouth with a bridle.

2 Examine me, O Lord, and 16 Who can understand his prove me ; try my reins and my errors ? cleanse thou me from heart.

secret faults. 3 For thy loving-kindness is 17 Keep back thy servant before mine eyes : and I have also from presumptuous sins, walked in thy truth.

let them not have dominion 4 I have not sat with vain over me : then shall I be uppersons, neither will I go in with right, and I shall be innocent dissemblers.

from the great transgression. 5 I have hated the congrega

18 Let the words of my tion of evil-doers : and will not mouth, and the meditation of my sit with the wicked.

heart be acceptable in thy sight, 6 I will wash mine hands in O Lord, my strength and my innocency : so will I compass redeemer. thine altar, O Lord :

19 As for me, I will behold 7 That I may publish with thy face in righteousness : I the voice of thanksgiving, and shall be satisfied, when I awake tell of all thy wondrous works. with thy likeness.

8 Lord, I have loved the habi- 20 Cause me to hear thy tation of thy house, and the place loving-kindness in the morning; where thine honour dwelleth. for in thee do I trust : cause 9 Now therefore, I pray thee,

me to know the

way

wherein I 'If I have found grace in thy should walk; for I lift up my sight, shew me now thy way, soul unto thee. that I may know thee;

21 Let my prayer be set 10 Shew me thy ways, O forth before thee as incense, and Lord; teach me thy paths. the lifting-up of my hands as

11 Lead me in thy truth, and the evening sacrifice. teach me: for thou art the God 22. Set a watch, O Lord, beof my salvation; on thee do. I fore my mouth; keep the door wait all the day.

:of my lips. 12 I delight to do thy will, 23 Incline not my heart to O my God : yea, thy law is any evil thing, to practise wicked within my heart.

works with men that work ini.

:

quity : and let me not eat of 12 A froward heart shall de. their dainties.

part from me: I will not know 24 Let the righteous smite a wicked person. me, it shall be a kindness : and 13 Deal bountifully with let him reprove me, it shall be thy servant, that I may live, and an excellent oil.

keep thy word. 25 Teach me to do thy will; 14 Open thou mine eyes, for thou art my God : thy spirit that I may behold wondrous is good; lead me into the land things out of thy law.

. of uprightness.

15 I am a stranger in the

earth : hide not thy commandLESSON XLVII.

ments from me.

16 My soul breaketh for the I WILL sing of mercy and judge- longing that it hath unto thy ment: unto thee, O Lord, will judgements at all times. I sing.

17 Thy servant doth medi2 With my whole heart have I tate in thy statutes; I have sought thee: O let me not wan- trusted in thy mercy, my heart der from thy commandments. shall rejoice in thy salvation.

3 I will behave myself wisely 18 My soul cleaveth unto in a perfect way. O when wilt the dust: quicken thou me acthou come unto me? I will walk cording to thy word. within

my
house with a perfect

19 I have declared my ways, heart.

and thou heardest me: teach 4 Blessed art thou, O Lord : me thy statutes. teach me thy statutes.

20 Make me to understand the 5 With my lips have I de- way of thy precepts : so shall I clared all the judgements of thy talk of thy wondrous works. mouth.

21 My soul melteth for hea. 6 Thou hast commanded us viness : strengthen thou me acto keep thy precepts diligently. cording unto thy word.

7 O that my ways were di- 22 Remove from me the way rected to keep thy statutes ! of lying: and grant me thy law

8 Then shall I not be ashamed, graciously. when I have respect unto all 23 I have chosen the way of thy commandments.

truth : thy judgements have I 9 I will praise thee with up- laid before me. rightness of heart, when I shall

24 I have stuck unto thy teshave learned thy righteous timonies: 0 Lord, put me not judgements.

to shame. 10 I will keep thy statutes : 25 I will run the way of thy O forsake me not utterly ! commandments, when thou

11 I will set no wicked thing shalt enlarge my heart. before mine eyes : I hate the 26 Teach me, O Lord, the work of them that turn aside; way of thy statutes, and I shall it shall not cleave to me. keep it unto the end.

:

: